Quiscalus lugubris
The Carib Grackle (*Quiscalus lugubris*) is a striking member of the Icteridae family, common across the Lesser Antilles and northern South America. Males, measuring 24-27 cm and weighing 42-65 g, exhibit a glossy black plumage with iridescent purplish-blue sheens, particularly noticeable in good light, and a distinctive long, keeled tail that gives them a 'boat-tailed' appearance in flight. Females are notably smaller, 21-23 cm and 31-48 g, and are duller, more sooty-black, with shorter, les...
Found in open, disturbed areas, cultivated lands, pastures, towns, gardens, coastal zones, and mangroves, primarily at low to mid-elevations up to approximately 1000 meters.
An omnivorous species, consuming a wide range of items including insects, spiders, small lizards, frogs, bird eggs and nestlings, fruits (especially cultivated varieties), seeds, nectar, and human refuse. Primarily forages by gleaning from the ground or vegetation, and opportunistically hawking i...
Carib Grackles are diurnal and highly social, often forming large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes in mixed-species roosts. They are opportunistic foragers, spending much time walking on the ground gleaning insects, seeds, and fruit, but also expertly hawking insects in flight or pro...
The Carib Grackle is a resident species distributed throughout the Lesser Antilles and across northern South America. In the Antilles, its range spans from Anguilla south through the main islands of St. Martin, St. Barts, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dom...
Least Concern
- The genus name "Quiscalus" is derived from an Aztec word, likely referring to a type of grackle or blackbird. - Carib Grackles are known for their bold and intelligent behavior, often learning to associate humans with food sources in urban areas. - Males have a distinctive 'keeled' tail that ca...